Fr. John McCole – Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Father John F. McCole

Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Ordained: 1958

Named in civil lawsuits: 2009

Died: 2015

Summary of Sexual Abuse Allegations against Father John McCole:

The allegations against Father John McCole arose during a civil lawsuit filed against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Diocese of Charlotte (North Carolina). According to the Complaint, the plaintiff was brought to Asheville, North Carolina, by McCole in 1977 or 1978. He was 15 or 16 at the time. According to the lawsuit, McCole and another priest, Father Justin Pechulis, forced him to engage in sexual activities on that trip. Pechulis was a priest of the Diocese of Asheville.

The lawsuit also stated that the boy told Cardinal Krol about the abuse while serving as an altar boy at a mass that Krol celebrated. Krol reportedly told the boy that what happened is “just how men behave with each other.”

McCole admitted to knowing the boy, but denied the rest of his allegations.

McCole is not discussed in the 2005 grand jury report. His name does not appear on any of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s lists of credibly accused priests.

McCole died in 2015.

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